Fewer holiday travelers expected despite lower fuel prices
Jolene CraigArticle Photos
PARKERSBURG - Gasoline prices have fallen, but the lower prices are doing little to boost holiday travel, experts said.
"We are anticipating roughly 32 million Americans to travel more than 50 miles this July Fourth weekend, but that is down 1.9 percent from last year's 37.1 million travelers," said Bevi Powell, communications director with AAA East Central District in Pittsburgh.
The July 4 holiday typically is the busiest travel time of the year. School-aged children are out of school and parents are more likely to take family vacations at this time, Powell said.
"Now, it seems, that people are trying to do more things closer to home," she said.
Judy Hurst, travel counselor at the West Virginia Welcome Center in Williamstown, said personnel are unsure if the number of travelers who stop at the center will go up or down.
"We have no way of knowing ahead of time," Hurst said. "We just have to wait for the holiday travel to begin."
Powell said gasoline prices, which in West Virginia hovered around $2.68 a gallon Thursday, were not a likely culprit to the smaller number of travelers. The slight decline is partly due to uncertainty about the strength of the economy and sagging personal incomes, she said.
"Gas this year is down significantly from last year's $4.09," Powell said. "Really, the economy is a concern, which makes people look at their expendable income and hold it closer."
Janet Vineyard, executive director of the West Virginia Oil Marketers and Grocers Association, said part of the reason gasoline prices have fallen is demand is down.
"Demand has been off some because people have stopped driving as much," Vineyard said.
The average price per-gallon of gasoline in West Virginia fell a half cent between Tuesday and Wednesday and stayed steady at $2.689 Thursday, 4 cents below last week's average and $1.40 less than a year ago, Powell said.
The national average was at $2.629 Thursday evening, a penny below Wednesday's average and more than $1.45 less than this date last year.
Powell said gasoline prices rose the first half of this year with the increase built on sentiment that a rebound in the economy was near, but she said many investors are apparently starting to believe the sentiment-driven climb may have fallen short.
"Honestly, I think people are conservative and that will keep travel down," Vineyard said.
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yolarry
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07-06-09 3:33 AM
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Still a bit too high.
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Centrist
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07-03-09 11:01 AM
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The big difference for me? Last year, I was out of work and BELIEVED I could afford to go places and do things. This year, I am out of work and KNOW that I can't afford to go places and do things.
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